We took your questions to Fred Alyea, director of canal operations for the Trent-Severn Waterway, who confirms that Moore Lake is part of the Gull River watershed - one of several systems, originating in the highlands of Haliburton, that drain southward, feeding the Kawartha Lakes and the waterway. (The other main watersheds are the Burnt River and Mississagua River systems.)

"We're the ones who decide when, and how much, to increase the flow from the feeder lakes," Alyea explains. "For safe navigation, we maintain a certain range of levels on the Kawarthas and the canal, because our charts tell boaters the range of depths available. If the charts aren't accurate, boaters could be in trouble."

A large network of gauges and sensors keeps track of water levels throughout the Kawarthas and on many of the more remote Haliburton lakes that feed them. These days, most of the sensors, including those on Moore Lake, are automatic and can be read daily via the phone line. The Kawarthas and Trent water levels are not kept constant throughout the year, however. "Early in the year, we try to keep the levels fairly high to make sure they'll last out the navigation season," says Alyea. "As the season goes along, we can safely let them drop a little, because there aren't too many navigation days left." As with other lakes, the Moore Lake outlet below your cottage has both a hydro station and a stoplog dam, both of which can control water levels. When the Trent-Severn requires extra water, Alyea explains, they will usually increase flow through the lake's power station rather than the stoplog dam, thereby maximizing energy production at the same time.

However, maintaining acceptable levels throughout the system is a balancing act and the weather is a factor beyond the engineers' control. If more water is needed than the power station can supply, they'll lift some logs out of the dam to increase the flow - and that's when you may see a rapid drop in the lake in front of your cottage.